I want to play a really cruel villain some time: Nivin Pauly

With three back-to-back hits — Ohm Shanthi Oshana, 1983 and Bangalore Days — Nivin Pauly is on a high. The actor, however, feels that he has a long way to go still. Nivin talks about how he is not at all like his character in Bangalore Days, what his wife thinks of his lover boy roles and more.
Your last three films were hits. Was that a result of careful choices?
I do look at the script carefully while choosing a film, but regarding these three, I would thank luck.It was coincidental that Ohm Shanthi Oshana, 1983 and Bangalore Days released one after the other, as they were made at different times. The timing turned out to be perfect for me.
I don’t do many films at the same time as I don’t like to switch between characters. At a given point, I would like to get into the skin of whatever character I am playing.
Your character in Bangalore Days was the least cool of all, but turned out to be most loved by the audience. How did the film happen?
After my first film, Malarvady Art’s Club, Anjali chechi had messaged me saying she liked the film. After that she would message me whenever a film of mine released. Post Thattathin Marayathu, she told me that there is this script which she is working on, and that she would like me to be a part of it. I liked the script; it was a script with a soul. I also liked my character, that of Kuttan, which was a well-balanced one with all the emotions. I had never done such a ‘nadan’ character before too, shy and timid with oiled hair and all.
Was the humour in it impromptu? And how similar is the real Nivin to Kuttan?
Some of the scenes were improvised on the spot, like the one where I repeat a Thattathin Marayathu dialogue when thinking about Isha’s character. But the scene in the flight where the kid speaks in Malayalam was all well planned. The one which got me the best appreciation for the humour element was the frisking scene at the airport, it was decided on the spot that I act all coy.
And no, I am not at all like Kuttan in real. I too worked as a software engineer in Bangalore, but I was not like Kuttan. But the life there was somewhat similar, in that although it’s a happening life on the outside, you feel some kind of an emptiness and loneliness inside. I had no interest at all in the software job, and was fed up of it.
And in real life, my wife Rinna doesn’t call me ‘chetta’. She calls me by name; we were classmates in college. And even in a relationship, I am not at all like Kuttan.
Pictures of you as a baby and your son, Dhadha, looking like twins have been circulating on the net…
Yes, it is when I see my baby pictures now that I realise how much Dhadha resembles me. Earlier, he was too small to be taken to the set, but nowadays I have started to, as I start missing him when away from him for long periods. I feel at home when he and Rinna are around. Whatever troubles and tensions I have, when I am with him, I feel relaxed and happy. He is now at a stage where he has started talking and has turned quite naughty too.
Nazriya has always said you both share a close friendship. What about Dulquer?
Dulquer and I were very formal initially but then we had a three-day workshop for Bangalore Days and the ice broke. I am very comfortable with him now. We call each other and there is no trace of formality.
But I have a drawback, I cannot deliver dialogues seriously when my co-star is a good friend. I wouldn’t be able to control my laughter when I look at them. But I have received flak for it too from directors. Sameer Thahir even walked out once when I started laughing during an important scene and spoiled it.
How was it working with Anjali Menon? Any particular director you want to work with or any dream roles?
Firstly, she is very beautiful (laughs). And she is a quality director. It’s a rare ‘beauty meets quality’ when it comes to Anjali Menon, I would say. I want to work with all good directors actually — Lal Jose, Anwar Rasheed, Lijo Jose, Amal Neerad, Ranjith… everyone. I have been doing a lot of romantic movies, so such roles don’t excite me much now. I would like to play an out-and-out, really cruel villain once. My character in Da Thadiya had such a streak, but I want a full length villainous role. It is a different kind of excitement.
What next?
I have two films coming up – Mili and Premam. Mili is the story of a woman, played by Amala Paul. It traces the graph of her life, about the life changing incidents in it. My character is this person who is like her friend or brother, who brings about the change in her. It’s not an ‘adipoli’ film with humour and music, but a subtle one which talks about human emotions. The freshness of the script attracted me; there is no way of knowing what happens next. I don’t know how well the film will fare commercially, but it will be described as a good film. Premam, well, is just about that, love. It’s a full on romance with plenty of songs. So yes, I turn lover boy again! The rest of the cast will be fresh faces. And in Vikramadithyan, I have a guest role.
You have acted with some of the hottest heroines of the industry but there are zero rumours about you. How does your wife view your lover boy roles?
Touchwood! And hope it stays that way all along regarding rumours. My wife knows that interacting with actresses is all part of the job, but there is a line which I’m not supposed to cross and as long as I don’t cross it, there are no problems. She doesn’t bother with whatever I do onscreen. But the line is always there!